Low-loss chalcogenide waveguides for chemical sensing in the mid-infrared

We report the characteristics of low-loss chalcogenide waveguides for sensing in the mid-infrared (MIR). The waveguides consisted of a Ge₁₁.₅As₂₄Se₆₄.₅ rib waveguide core with a 10nm fluoropolymer coating on a Ge₁₁.₅As₂₄S₆₄.₅ bottom cladding and were fabricated by thermal evaporation, photolithography and ICP plasma etching. Over most of the functional group band from 1500 to 4000 cm⁻¹ the losses were < 1 dB/cm with a minimum of 0.3 dB/cm at 2000 cm⁻¹. The basic capabilities of these waveguides for spectroscopy were demonstrated by measuring the absorption spectrum of soluble Prussian blue in Dimethyl Sulphoxide.